Italy may prohibit gaming advertising

The project presented by Balduzzi aims to "avoid compulsive gaming.” In particular, "there are forbidden direct or indirect audiovisual and radio advertising, who would lead to the purchase of products or the participation in games of chance, such as lotteries, contests with prizes, sportsbooks, newlot or activities, even online, allocated to the obtaining of large sums of money,” says the text.

Games of chance advertising and bets would be forbidden in “radio and TV programs adressed to children, 20 minutes after and before them, and in from 4pm until 19.30 pm.”

It also bans advertising on the issue in “daily press and manazines for underaged, and in cinemas during the projection of movies for children.” The norm also establishes to stop advertising in public transports and places visited by children.”

However, in the new amended text –the previous one had the approval of the Federgico casino association-, it is not considered the agreement of not installing games of chance machines in a range of 500 metres from schools, children centers or churches. In exchange, more power is brought to city councils on the licenses that have those devices.

Fines of up to 100,000 euros are planned in case the advertising agencies infringe the law. The third infringement would be penalized with the suspension of the license for two years.

"If the gaming activity, even online, is carried out in absence of government authorizations –says the text-, the violation is penalized with a fine of 150,000 to 300,000 euros, and will make it impossible for all the parties involved to obtain a 5-year authorization.

The text of the law, that days ago had to be issued to the Council of Ministers, had to be amended in several articles and, from  the initial 27, it remained in 20.